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I started out writing about personal finances, and now? I write about my life, which includes my DD, my dog and my extended family. I still talk about money, and I will say that I am slowly getting better at handling my finances.

Question for my American friends

My dad had open heart surgery last week, and my mother over heard one gentleman say to a nurse" I'm glad I'm Canadian", as if this surgery was done in the USA, I'd of lost everything. SO here is my qeustion, around how much would it have cost my Dad in the US?

Open heart surgery ( 6 hours in the OR), 4 days in ICU( including chest tubes, xrays, CAT scan, 4 pints of blood, insulin, IV antiboitics and a nurse with him 24/7), plus another 4 days in a different unit, with a nuring ratio of 1 nurse- 2 patients, plus a sitter...

Comments

National Statistics For This Procedure GroupThe statistics apply to all procedures related to Miscellaneous operations on the heart including:

- General Open heart surgery- and possibly other proceduresNumber of cases for this procedure group : 8,808 Number of hospitals reporting cases for this procedure group : 912 Average list price for this procedure group : $125,200 Average negotiated price : $37,600 Average length of stay : 11 days

However the $125,200 price tag isn't what you'd pay out of pocket, assuming you'd have insurance. Based on my insurance I'd pay a little over $25,000. However I also have a supplemental insurance that would cover part of that cost.

And if you're uninsured, assuming the hospital will even help you, they generally take small monthly payments and some do so at no interest.

This is just a guesstimate, but the total cost of the procedure from start to finish is between $85,000 and $125,000. How much it would cost your dad, it would depend on whether he has insurance (since the US does not have universal healthcare). If he has insurance, the cost, I'd assume, would cap at $10,000~35,000. Without insurance, though, unless it was emergency/life-threatening surgery, I don't think he'd even be seen...